CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – Enthusiastic students were excited about setting their goals high during their fourth annual reading kickoff program Friday morning at Norman Smith Elementary.

As classes filed outside to the beat of the Northeast High School drum line and through a tunnel of NEHS cheerleaders, they sported hats made out of balloons, carried signs and held up banners that read “Our goals are set high,” “Keep Calm, Learn on” and “We are the best, Read, Read, Read.” Some classes chanted “R.E.A.D. Read, read, read!”

For the second year in a row, Smith Elementary was recognized as one of four Clarksville-Montgomery County Schools in the top five percent of schools statewide in one of two categories naming them “Reward Schools” for achievement.

The atmosphere was electric when Principal Margaret Hausauer took the stage. She welcomed more than 621 students, staff and visitors. She told the students that this year’s theme is “Set your goal and aim high.”

Director of Schools B.J. Worthington took the stage and excited the crowd by asking, “Are you excited about starting the school year?” The students cheered wildly.

State Rep. Joe Pitts encouraged the students to read and stay in school. Last year’s principal, Beth Unfried, told them how proud she was and said they should be too.

Hausauer told students their goal was to read 20,000 books and they were going to set their Accelerated Reading percentage to 85 percent. “We want the very, very best for you,” she said. “It begins here at Smith Elementary and begins with reading. I want each of you to be successful,” she said.

The NEHS step team was also on hand to entertain the students, but the program was cut short due to the heat. Students were informed staff would be around to watch their individual grade cheers and the top readers in the school would be announced.